Go to a heavy or metal gig in Gippsland, and you’ll see that there is strong following in this country area. It’s perhaps been a surprise then that over the years there haven’t been more bands out of the area that has made an impact in the Australian music scene. Well now comes a band that might be the start of an avalanche of greatness out of the area because mark my words Ocean Sleeper are a band that are about to arrive in a massive way.
One listen to their debut EP, Six Feet Down, and you struck by the fact that this is a band that playing with a maturity that makes it sound like they have been in the industry for thirty years. The opening intro track Sleepless threatens a sound not too dissimilar to The Butterfly Effect but as the track brilliantly joins with the next track Breaking Free and lead singer’s Ionei clean vocals blend with full on screams you suddenly realise that Ocean Sleeper has created a whole new at-times-melodic and at-times-brutal sound.
By the time you get to Hold On Stay With Me you are already in love with Ocean Sleeper but the pure brilliance just continues. The maturity of Ocean Sleeper is never more obvious than on this track when the band branches off from the regular metal core sound and suddenly introduces a background choir that strangely works with the manic cries and growls. The band’s melodic sound really shines through on Sewn Shut and the track instantly becomes so catchy that you want to put it on repeat.
The band then takes another step forward with Another Mistake. This is obviously a track that is written from the heart with touching lyrics such as “I know I am not just another mistake”, and they are only made more powerful with the slowed start and choir singing that builds into something epic and memorable. The EP then closes with the fittingly brutal Six Feet Down, another track that shows that is a band headed for great things.
Ocean Sleeper has made a huge statement with Six Feet Down. This is a band to watch, and I can’t wait for a feature album to land.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AooE2w7PWf0]
